i at
y of Florida Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
We Inform. You Decide.

S

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2008

More than 700 interview for Senate seats

Only 47 Student Senate seats up for reelection in October

By LAUREN BAKER
Alligator Writer
Ibaker@alligator.org
The last day of interviews for
Student Senate positions brought
a rush of last-minute applicants
who hope to be on the ballot in

next month's Student Government
election.
More than 700 people visited the
Reitz Union during the three days
of interviews, with 465 applicants
on Tuesday, said SG Supervisor of
Elections Dan Siegel.
The Orange and Blue Party re-

ceived about 30 applicants Tuesday.
The Gator Party snagged about 400.
Orange and Blue registered a to-
tal of 80 students, while Gator regis-
tered about 775 students, according
to the parties' respective presidents.
However, some students may
have been drawn to register with

the Gatory Party on Tuesday after
a Facebook message from Indian
Student Association treasurer Lisa
Turtlee Patel. The message urged
members to register with the Gator
Party to influence the organization's
funding, which SG provides.
"Go to room 284 and fill out the

papers supporting GATOR PARTY
and VISA!" the message stated.
"This is EXTREMELY important
because this is how ISA gets their
funding....we REALLLLLY need
this!"
Patel could not be reached for
comment.
SEE QUALIFYING, PAGE 10

SPECIAL REPORT

Student Tasered a

year ago today

Sisterhood of the Charity Pants
Fallon Beyer, left, and Alex Stratt, right-- members of Delta Gamma Sorority -sort pairs of jeans by
size at the Charity Denim Jean Sale held at the Delta Gamma house Tuesday afternoon. Designer
jeans were sold at reduced prices to raise money for the visually impaired.

By ANDREA ASUAJE and
ASHLEY ROSS
Alligator Writers

One year ago today, then-
UF telecommunication senior
and former Alligator columnist
Andrew Meyer was shot with a
Taser gun after questioning for-
mer presidential candidate Sen.
John Kerry at an on-campus
town hall forum.
"I don't think anyone,
including the national
press, foresaw how
enormous the storyline
would be."
Robert Griscti
Meyer's attorney

According to Alligator
archives, Meyer asked about
Kerry's involvement with Skull
and Bones, a secret society at
Yale University, at the end of a
question-and-answer session.

When his microphone was
cut off, Meyer began to scream
in protest. Members of Accent,
Student Government's speak-
ers bureau, cut off the micro-
phone because Meyer used
profanity, said Steven Blank,
then-Accent chairman. Accent
had sponsored the forum at the
University Auditorium.
Several University Police
officers attempted to remove
Meyer from the microphone
when he began "acting in a
violent manner" and "pushing
the officers," according to a
UPD report.
Police said Meyer was told
to comply with the officers, but
he continued to resist.
"Don't Tase me, bro!"
Meyer screamed as officers at-
tempted to drag him outside
the University Auditorium. "I
didn't do anything."
Meyer was arrested and
charged with a third-degree
felony for resisting arrest and
SEE TASER, PAGE 10

Students may vote on hand scanners for UF facilities

* EACH COSTS ABOUT $50,000.

By THOMAS STEWART
Alligator Writer
Students might soon be able to vote on
whether they want to be required to scan
their hands to enter recreational facilities on

* UF safeties Major
Wright (right) and
Ahmad Black have
started to become
a force on the UF
defense. They're
known as two of
the top tacklers for
the Gators and for
being hard hitters.
See Story, Page 17.

campus.
UF senior Skeet Surrency submitted a
student referendum for this fall's Student
Government election ballot last week to let
students judge the plan to install hand scan-
ners at campus gyms.
One of the scanners is scheduled to be in-
stalled this month at the Student Recreation
and Fitness Center, but the plan has hit delays,

Copyrighted Material

SyndicatedContent

wrote David Stopka, associate director for
facility operations for Recreational Sports, in
an e-mail.
tUe nt UF is working on issues relat-
S ing to fire codes and handicap
accessibility, he wrote.
Another scanner is planned for Southwest
Recreation Center but it may be installed
as late as Spring 2011 because of scheduled

E Check out
Alligator.org to see
a visual graph of
gas price gouging
complaints listed by
county.

Available from Commercial News Providers

renovations.
The scanners will cost $35,000 to $50,000 at
each location.
Students will be required to enter their UF
ID numbers, then have their hands scanned to
enter the buildings.
Surrency's referendum still has to be pre-
SEE SCANNERS, PAGE 9

WHAT'S HAPPENING
Pre-professional
Organizational Fair
Today, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Reitz Union Grand Ballroom
Representatives from all pre-
law, pre-med, and other pre-
professional clubs on campus
will be in attendance.

RUB Entertainment Presents:
Indiana Jones
Reitz Union Cinema
Today:
"Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade," 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Thursday:
"Raiders of the Lost Ark," 6
p.m.
"Indiana Jones and the Temple
of Doom," 8 p.m.
"Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade," 10:30 p.m.
Saturday:
"Indiana Jones and the
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,"
8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Italy Country Presentation
Norman Hall Terrace Room
Tonight, 7 p.m.
The NaviGators International
Program invites all students
to attend their Italy Country
Presentation. There will be a
brief presentation by Italian
exchange students followed
by a sampling of home-cooked
Italian cuisine.

Victory Over Violence meeting
Thursday, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The group will be discussing its
upcoming events: Rape, Abuse
& Incest National Network
and the Vagina Monologues.
Please e-mail any questions to
Lucius@ufl.edu.

Writing on the Wall Information
Session
Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Reitz Union Room 355
Come learn about the ways to
become an active staff member

DARE
N' f MAKE
Bw' A
DIFFERENCE

A Youth Motivator Program
"-for Alachua County Schools
Please consider sharing just one hour per
week with an elementary or middle
school-aged child who needs a friend.
An orientation session will be held:
Wednesday. Sept. 17,7 PM
Reitz Union Room 287
Partners in Education
352-955-6900
kostamkb@gm.sbac.edu

ADMINISTRATION
352-376-4446 (Voice), 352-376-4556 (Fax)
General Manager Patricia Carey,
tcarey@alligator.org
Administrative Managers Judy Moore, Kayla Stevens
Administrative Assistant Lenora McGowan,
Imcgowan@alligator.org
President Emeritus C.E. Barber,
cebarber@alligator.org
PRODUCTION
Production Manager Stephanie Gocklin,
sgocklin@alligator.org
Editorial Production Supervisors Kristin Bj6rnsen, James Hibbs
Advertising Production Staff Erica Bales, Aki Chang, Shannon Close,
Doug Eastman, Briana O'Sullivan
Editorial Production Staff Erica Ervin, Kevin Hart,
Max Weissler
The Independent Florida Alligator is a student newspaper serving the University of Florida, pub-
lished by a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) educational organization, Campus Communications Inc., P.O. Box
14257, Gainesville, Florida, 32604-2257. The Alligator is published Monday through Friday morn-
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 E ALLIGATOR, 3

SANTA FE COLLEGE

SFC celebrates U.S. Constitution with discussions

By CARLA ASTUDILLO
Alligator Contributing Writer

Santa Fe College kicked off
Constitution Week on Tuesday
with the first of three discussions
about the more than 200-year-old
document's influence in today's
political climate.

"To get elected, presiden-
tial candidates promise
you the moon, and if
Congress doesn't let them
do it, people say, 'Liar, liar,
pants on fire.'"
Donna Waller
SFC history and political science
professor

Tuesday's speech, titled "Is
the Presidency Too Powerful?,"
drew an unexpected crowd of
about 90 people, forcing a move
from its scheduled classroom to
the hallway of the SFC library.
The annual national celebra-
tion of the Constitution, which
was signed Sept. 17, 1787, usu-
ally only lasts a day at SFC, said
Doug Diekow, chairman of the
social and behavioral sciences
department.
Because of this year's presi-

dential election, the event is
being extended to three days,
Diekow said.
"We tried to connect the
Constitution to what's going on
today," he said. "It's a great way
to spotlight our faculty and for
students to engage and partici-
pate in open discussion."
Donna Waller, a history and
political science professor at SFC,
hosted Tuesday's presentation on
whether the office of the presi-
dency has become too powerful.
It hasn't, Waller said in her
speech, though many imagine
it has.
In her presentation, she dis-
cussed the changes in the ex-
ecutive branch's power since the
signing of the Constitution.
The country's- focus. on
the presidency has made the
American people cynical, she
said.
"To get elected, presidential
candidates promise you the
moon, and if Congress doesn't let
them do it, people say, 'Liar, liar,
pants on fire,'" she said.
Waller said historians believe
every great president has ex-
panded and redefined the office
from what the Constitution origi-
nally prescribed.
The speeches will continue
today with a discussion on "Who
Really Elects the President?" by

David Price, a professor of his-
tory and political science.
Professor Alan Beck will host
a presentation called "Barack and

Sarah? Is Jefferson Turning Over
in His Grave?" on Thursday.
The events are sponsored by
SFC's Office of Student Activities

and department of social and be-
havioral sciences.
Both will start at 2 p.m. at the
SFC library.

-jdi'dl n.m, MIlgdliui Jlll
Santa Fe College history professor Donna Waller speaks Tuesday afternoon in the SFC library in a discus-
sion about whether the presidency is too powerful and how it has evolved over time.

Party starts petition

against code changes

By THOMAS STEWART
Alligator Writer

The Orange and Blue Party has
launched a petition to persuade
the Board of Trustees, UF's high-
est governing body, to vote against
controversial changes to the Student
Conduct Code.
The petition targets revisions that
deal with proposed bans on drinking
games and common-source alcohol
containers, such as kegs and beer
balls, at university-sponsored events.
More than 100 students have
signed the petition so far, which
launched Friday, said Sam Miorelli,
the party's president.
"The point of (the petition) is to
show that a monumental number of
students are against these revisions,"
Miorelli said.
The board's Educational Policy
and Strategy Committee will dis-
cuss the changes in a conference call
Monday afternoon from 2 to 2:30.
Members of the public who want
to listen to the meeting can do so in
room 239 of Tigert Hall.
If the committee passes the regula-
tions, a full meeting of the board will
be scheduled to approve them.

"Soon you will consider some
of the most extensive changes to
University Regulations ever," the
petition states.
"While we understand the concern
administrators have for our safety as
students, it is not the University's
place to regulate
our personal lives.
The University
has no business
regulating the legal
consumption of
alcoholic beverages
iBo by its students."
Sikes Miorelli said his
party hopes to collect as many signa-
tures as possible and present them to
trustees some time before they vote
on the changes next week.
Janine Sikes, UF spokeswoman,
said the board will take the petition
into account when they vote.
However, she said, the board has
already heard the concerns expressed
by the party.
She said UF believes the party is
mischaracterizingg the changes."
In addition to collecting signatures
in person, the party has an online ver-
sion of the petition at
http://orangeandblueparty.com.

Hillel opens restaurant, gallery

By LAUREN PETERSON
and GUYANA HAND
Alligator Contributing Writers

UF Hillel celebrated a day of new begin-
nings Tuesday.
The Olam, a kosher restaurant in UF
Hillel, held its grand opening in the morn-
ing, and The Living Room, the Jewish
Student Union's art gallery, premiered at
night.
The grand opening of the restaurant
was celebrated with prizes, raffles and per-
formances by Ben and Ty's Jazz Duo, said
Avie Friederwitzer, food service director
for Hillel.
About 100 people came for lunch, said
Alyssa Drake, Hillel's promotions director.
Everyone from students to faculty to a UPS
driver stopped in to eat during the event.
Although the restaurant has been open
since the summer, it held the fall grand
opening to welcome new and returning
students to the restaurant.
Lunch at The Olam is usually $8, but it
was discounted to $6 for the event. Diners
chose from a selection of pizza, baked ziti,
dessert and some other dishes and also
participated in a raffle for a free lunch.
The Olam's lunch and dinner menus are
different every day, Friederwitzer said. The
restaurant's slogan is "tastes from around
the world."
The restaurant directors spent about
$5,000 to $6,000 promoting the restaurant
and the grand opening, Friederwitzer
said.
"We want to be known as the restaurant
for everybody that happens to be kosher,"
he said.
Mobile Campus sent out 5,000 text mes-

sages on Monday, and 10,000 flyers were
printed to promote the event.
The Living Room was named in honor
of Hillel's former living space, which was
reorganized to accommodate the art gal-
lery.
The art gallery featured 13 abstract
paintings by artist Marilyn Binder
Silverman, several of whose pieces re-
flected the gallery's opening and "New
Beginnings" theme.
Giselle Mazur, art director at Hillel,
said, "We created the gallery to create
an environment for students that would
inspire intellectually stimulating conversa-
tions and engage them through unconven-
tional means."
Student Mazur said the gallery,
LKO which holds a strategic part-
nership with the UF College
Fine Arts department, decided on the
theme "New Beginnings" to coincide with
the start of the school year, Jewish New
Year and the holiday season.
Silverman said several of her works
symbolize the turning points in her life,
such as when she moved from her home
country of South Africa to the U.S., when
she got married and when her kids left for
college.
Cynthia Apfelbaum, a UF advertising
senior, said she likes how the combina-
tion of colors in the paintings could be
interpreted differently. She referred to one
painting, "Guiding Hand," which had a
Jewish star and a hand hidden among vi-
brant colors.
The aft crew at UF Hillel plans to offer a
new exhibit with a different theme and art
mediums about every six weeks.

i. ^ f. -
,r '

4, ALLIGATOR E WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17,2008

Florida Book Store offers book rentals to students

No other store in Gainesville offers to lend students textbooks

BY JENNIFER TORMO
Alligator Contributing Writer

Students frustrated by high
textbook prices may not be
aware that they have another
option.
All three Florida Book Store
locations have been renting
textbooks out to students for
about two years but haven't
advertised it, said textbook

Gator Fans stuck in
Gainesville
Gators fans who can't make
the trip to Knoxville hope to
celebrate a Florida victory
in the SEC Opener at Cafe
Gardens Saturday. Some
fans plan on arriving early
to get a good seat in front of
one of the many TV's and
take advantage of the beer
specials. $1 domestic pints or
longnecks and & $2 bottles of
selected imports are featured
along with the fantastic food
that has made Cafe Gardens a
Gator landmark for 32 years.
For some added excitement
they will serve a FREE
round* with every GATOR
TOUCHDOWN.
- ,._. 1 .. ... __ L .. _- I

Cafe Gardens 1643 NW 1st Ave.

;..T.: .,- :.:
" ..... i-' :- :* :
. l^,.v

manager Mike Bibbee.
"We weren't sure if people
would be interested," Bibbee
said.
Students must buy the text-
book they want to rent up-front
and pay the full price.
After they're done, they can
return it and get their money
back, minus the rental fee.
The rental fee is $3 a day for
used books and $5 a day for

new books.
Other textbook companies
such as Orange and Blue
Textbooks, Gator Textbooks
and the UF Bookstore do not
have a textbook rental program
in place.
"Basically, it is already a
rental system anyway, because
you buy the textbook and sell
it back," said Duane McMahan,
owner of Gator Textbooks Inc.

UF Bookstore director Lynne
Vaughan said implementing a
textbook rental system would
require another fee to be added
to tuition.
"If we did that, we might
as well be a lending library,"
Vaughan said. "When you have
over 4,000 titles on campus, it's
kind of hard to do."
Luis Mayo, a UF sophomore,
said he did not know that

Florida Book Store rented text-
books but would probably only
use the service for a class that
only required a text for tests.
Nicholas Paganella, a UF
freshman, said he might find
the rental system useful, but
would rather own the book.
"What about students that
have financial aid? Bright
Futures covers textbooks, any-
way."

* :k,: ~

A great '.' ny i :-t in the logo or :- : report,
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techno(. y.

After a buying panic caused by
Hurricane Ike, gas prices are expected to
start dropping back to normal.
"There is a light at the end of the tun-
nel," said Randy Bly, a spokesman forAAA
Auto Club South.
Bly said the public could see prices
fluctuate at first but that the worst has hap-
pened and prices should slowly decrease
within the next week.
As of Tuesday, 14 refineries were shut
down in Texas, more of them because of
shortages from last week's panic than be-
cause of Hurricane Ike, Bly said.
Twenty tankers from Europe are com-

ing in this week to help replenish refineries,
he said.
Still, the state is continuing to receive
reports of price gouging. More than 1,800
complaints about gas gouging are being in-
vestigated in Florida, according to the state
Attorney General's Office.
Those stations that are price gouging to
benefit from the panic can be fined or lose
their licenses to operate, Bly
State said.
News Gas in Gainesville av-
eraged $3.95 for regular
unleaded Tuesday, a penny more than the
day before. Florida's gas prices averaged at
$3.85 Tuesday.
The states that have been hit the worst
by rising gas prices are Tennessee and
Georgia, he said Knoxville, Tenn., had
the most expensive gas in the nation last
week at $4.65.
On Tuesday, the average gas price in

Knoxville was $4.49, Bly said.
"That's a sign that-the gas prices are
dropping," he said.
Gas in the Carolinas, Tennessee and
Georgia comes straight from Houston,
Texas, Bly said, which is why prices in
Florida have remained lower.
"Florida gets 90 percent of its gas from
barge traffic," Bly said. "There are refiner-
ies located along the Mississippi River, and
that gas is sent in barges to Florida."
Most of Gainesville's gas is received
from ports in Jacksonville and Tampa,
which adds a transportation fee to the
prices.
The gas panic supposedly started be-
cause of signs at a Gainesville gas station
last week telling customers to purchase gas
before it hit $5.
"Try to go back to the way you normally
purchase gas, and don't fill up containers of
gas," Bly said.

An official from Florida's Mothers Against Drunk
Driving spoke out Monday against the coalition of uni-
versity presidents that are calling for public review of the
national drinking age.
Donald Murray, Florida MADD's executive director,
called for two Florida schools, Saint Leo University and
Eckerd College, to withdraw their names from the Amethyst
Initiative in an opinion piece Monday.
"Abandoning laws that protect our youth and the com-
munity at-large is no answer and frankly, is a terrible idea,"

"It's very important that we have an open, na-
tional discussion because the law isn't working
well enough."
Arthur F. Kirk Jr.
president of Saint Leo University

Murray wrote in the opinion piece.
However, the university presidents who have signed on

to the petition say that the drinking age doesn't effectively
curb binge drinking.
"It's very important that we have an open, national dis-
cussion because the law isn't working well enough," said
Arthur F. Kirk Jr., president of Saint Leo University, in a
news release.
"It isn't stopping students from drinking, and there's
some evidence it may be contributing to binge drinking oc-
curring off campuses."
-JACQUELYN WEINER

Save the date. Keep it really, really OPEN.

loin us on Software Freedom Day September 20th. It's your opportunity to show support for all things open source.
Whileyou're at it, join a Sun Open Source University Meetup at sun.com/swfreedom. Change (Y)our World. Support Software Freedom Day.

Sun.
microsystems

The Network is the Computer'"

mi 2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sun and the Sun Microsystems logo ale registered marks and The Network is the Computer is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.

6, ALLIGATOR U WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17,2008

Editorial

Shock Value

Happy Anniversary,

Tasergate
Admittedly, we don't have the best memories.
SWe're not sure when, why or how it happened,
but for some reason, we just can't seem to remember
names or dates as well as we used to. Second-tier holidays,
distant relatives' birthdays, close relatives' birthdays, an-
niversaries you name it. They all manage to slip our
minds.
That's why we're surprised that we have such an uncan-
ny ability to recall.annoying little details like movie quotes,
the name of Van Halen's third lead singer (Gary Cherone)
and other events that have no redeeming social value.
So we aren't shocked that we remembered today is
the one-year anniversary of the University Police man-
handling and zapping an overzealous instigator named
Andrew Meyer at Sen. John Kerry's speech in the University
Auditorium.
The media's coverage of "Tasergate" was exhaustive to
the point of nausea.
We really didn't need or want to see some brat howling
about secret societies five million times. Our firsthand ac-
count in the auditorium was beyond sufficient.
Meyer's temper tantrum and subsequent Tasering em-
barrassed UF, UPD and hopefully him, too.
The incident rallied a horde of protesters who marched
over to the UPD station to wave cheap signs attempting to
corral the First Amendment into a sordid affair. Was anyone
worried about Meyer's safety? Or were they just chomping
at the bit because it had been a while since their last good,
old-fashioned protest?
We're advocates of standing your ground and fight-
ing the power, but it doesn't make much sense when your
claims lack any real merit.
Somebody has to fight the good fight, we guess, but we'd
rather have a legitimate argument before committing our-
selves to the hoarse voices and heat exhaustion that would
result from protesting in front of a police station all day.
We've certainly had enough of those damn T-shirts, too.
"Don't Tase me, bro" may be the dumbest line we've ever
heard, and we've seen "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story."
Meyer had actually done research before coming to
Kerry's speech, but that certainly doesn't matter now.
No one will remember whether he eloquently presented
his questions or successfully stumped Kerry because, rather
than wearing his big-boy pants to the forum, Meyer decide
to spew a line that sounds like it got cut from the script of a
Pauly Shore movie.
The best thing to come from the whole "Tasergate" circus
was the response from the "The Daily Show."
Host Jon Stewart referred to the Meyer's Tasering as an
"unfortunate combination of police overreaction and ... stu-
dent douchebaggery."
If you had forgotten about the most spot-on six syllables
seen by the English language last year, then let them sink
in.
We're glad to help refresh your memory. No real word
could've expressed our feelings as accurately, so we applaud
Stewart and his writers for going out on a limb to create a
word powerful enough to describe the whole situation.
On behalf of UF, we would like to apologize to the rest of
the nation for letting one of our fellow Gators act like such a
tool and dominate YouTube for the last part of 2007.

S the independent florida
alligator
SJessica DaSilva Adam Wynn
EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR
Hilary Lehman, Ken Schwencke
MANAGING EDITORS
The Alligator encourages comments from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 150
words (about one letter-sized page). They must be typed, double-spaced and must include the
author's name, classification and phone number. Names will be withheld if the writer shows
just cause. We reserve the right to edit for i .-.,r. ,'ammar, style and libel. Send letters to
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Gainesville, FL 32604-2257. Columns of about 550 words about original topics and editorial
cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 376-4458.

Opinions

c.?j

'EVER

U1 J J

Guest column

McCain represents
very morning when I get to campus, I find an
Alligator newspaper and thumb through it. I
am never surprised to find this liberally biased
newspaper having some type of derogatory editorial
referencing Sen. John McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin or the
Republican Party.
The liberal Democrats have begun to find more im-
portance in a comparison between Sen. Barack Obama
and Palin.
I am certain that Palin is not running for president of
the United States.
Obama's followers need to realize this is only hurt-
ing their campaign.
It shows how weak their candidate is in comparison
to McCain.
Palin has an extensive record of success in Alaska,
much of which Conservatives find to be important.
Everything she has done is exceptional and out-
standing, but she's not running for president.
A great aspect of this country is that we all have the
ability to campaign for our candidates and cast our vote
without any fear of repercussions.
This can be attributed to our fine military men and
women throughout the history of this country.
I am not focusing on Iraq or Afghanistan I'm
talking about every military action in our country's
history.
Taking the time to look at voting records will show
you the candidate who is focused on keeping this coun-
try safe, which is the keystone to all other federal poli-
cies.
McCain has always voted to properly fund our
country's military.

r^

ALLIGATOR
www.alligator.org/opinion

OR&OET

^ /

t c 3 toQecA
4V\ o .

Conservative value
Andrew Fells Obama has ignored his job in
Speaking Out the Senate.
Obama did not find it important
to vote on a bill that would contin-
ue funding our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If you don't agree with the war, that's fine. However,
if you have a family member overseas, don't you want
him or her to be able to access the proper ammunition
to protect her life or to have enough armor on vehicles
to deflect a bullet?
Regardless of your stance on the war itself, you don't
want to sacrifice American lives for that cause.
Your social or economic views may be something
completely different than mine, and that's fine because
that's what the U.S. is all about.
However, it is insane for someone writing an edito-
rial to demand that I change my personal values.
I want a president who follows the values of the U.S.
Constitution.
I want a president who will stand and salute the flag
of this great nation.
I vote Republican because it is what is best for our
country.
I believe in Republicans because I am pro-life.
I believe in smaller government.
I am voting for John McCain because I don't want
someone to limit my right to bear arms.
I will vote Republican because I want "one nation
under God" to stay in the Pledge of Allegiance.
I am a Republican because I believe in personal ac-
countability.
Andrew Fells is the finance chair for Gators for McCain
and an agricultural and life sciences senior.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Alligator.

Reader response
Today's question: Would you Tuesday's question: Do you think
have Tasered Andrew Meyer? Sarah Palin could see Russia from
her window without her glasses?
Vote or post a message at www.alligator.org

32% YES
68% NO
116 TOTAL VOTES

I I I I

I r I I ,

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 U ALLIGATOR, 7

Letters to the Editor
Global warming is real
When will people realize global climate
change is not just a ploy made up by crazy
liberals to gain power and freak out the world
just for kicks? Yesterday in class I was shocked
to hear a classmate refer to global climate
change as "that stupid global warming thing."
Seriously?
Come on, people, open your eyes. Take
some time to learn the proven scientific facts,
and let's do something together to improve
our world and ensure the safety of our planet!
Lindsay Feinberg
4LS

U .

Gator Party not just for Greeks
The allegations that the Gator Party is
actually the "Greek Party" are ridiculous. As
a Gator Party senator, I can say with absolute
sincerity that this is not true. The Gator Party
prides itself on enlisting qualified and out-
standing leaders from different organizations
at UF, many of whom have no Creek-based
involvement. ,
While the Gator Party appreciates the
enthusiasm for service brought by many in-
dividuals in the Greek community, it by no
means is exclusive to them.
Majority Party Leader Shire Patel and Rules
and Ethics Committee Chairwoman Danielle
D'Oyley are prime examples of Student Senate
leaders who have no Greek affiliation and

have excelled with the support of the Gator
Party. Both of these individuals exemplify the
Gator Party's principles of student service and
tangible results.
We look to find the most experienced lead-
ers from all of campus so we can represent the
desires and needs of the UF student body as
a whole.
Jim Martz
student senator

Middle class needs more than just money
While Nick Fitzpatrick's Tuesday article
makes some interesting points, he seems to
have missed a few fundamental ones.

Obama's tax plan calls for lower taxes on the
middle class than does McCain's plan.
There is no instant solution to the energy
crisis, nor do the Republicans have some mag-
ic bullet that will make prices go down. The
health care system is fundamentally flawed,
and just giving the middle class more money
isn't going to solve that.
With all due respect to Mr. Fitzpatrick, the
average American cares more about losing his
or her job, house and health coverage than
about "God, fetuses and guns."
Let's concentrate on the important issues
here and not make partisan attacks based
upon shaky personal opinions.
Sterling Davenport
UFjunior

Guest Column

Government shouldn't interfere with women's access to care

O n Aug. 21, the U.S.
Department of Health
and Human Services an-
nounced it is moving forward with
a proposed regulation that, if en-
acted, would jeopardize women's
health care by allowing providers
to withhold services and critical
information women need to make
fully informed decisions about
their health care. It also treads on
democratically enacted state poli-
cies aimed at ensuring access to
health care for the state's citizens.
This proposed rule will put

women's access to birth control and
information needed to make health
care decisions at risk.
This politically motivated regula-
tory change deliberately leaves the
term abortion undefined, creating a
dangerous space for ideology and
political views to override estab-
lished medical guidelines.
This is a far-reaching rule for
two reasons. First, 98 percent of
women in the U.S. use some form of
contraception during their lifetime.
Second, this would affect all the
hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices
or pharmacies that receives federal

funding, directly or indirectly, from
HHS a number HHS puts at
nearly 600,000 nationwide.
In Alachua County, 24,490
women need publicly supported
contraceptive services and sup-
plies, according to the Guttmacher
Institute.
Florida already allows for indi-
vidual providers, institutions and
pharmacists to refuse basic health
care to women. The proposed HHS
rules would further limit women's
access to basic health care by creat-
ing a federal mandate that would
restrict providers receiving HHS

funding, create broader definitions
of abortion, which allow for more
refusals, and make policy reform
on this issue at the state level nearly
impossible. Women in Florida are
already at a loss for their needs. We
cannot allow this already poor state
of health to get worse.
Access to contraception is basic
health care and smart public policy.
One in four women in America have
visited a Planned Parenthood clinic
for health care services.
At a time when so many families
are uninsured and under economic
assault, the Bush administration

is fueling our health care crisis by
denying women's access to quality,
affordable basic care. That's why
Planned Parenthood is fighting for
increasing access to health care for
all women.
The HHS-proposed regulation
is now posted in the federal regis-
ter, and a 30-day public comment
period is underway. It is crucial to
tell the Bush administration to keep
politics out of the exam room.
Natalie Muniz is the director of
education and communications for
Planned Parenthood of North Central
Florida Inc.

Kentucky Fried Chicken hosted a
Welcome to College 2008 party in honor
of its Colonel's Scholars scholarship re-
cipients on the Plaza of the Americas on
Tuesday.
At 5:30 p.m., about 50 UF students got
chance to eat free chicken as they passed by
the party on the plaza.
The scholarship recipients, in red
shirts bearing the words "Kentucky Fried
Chicken" and a caricature of the Colonel,
talked to students about the scholarship as
they filled their plates.
KFC usually has send-off parties at the
store locations in the hometowns of the
recipients before they go to college, said
Julie Arends, account executive at Weber
Shandwick, the public relations firm for
KFC.
"In this case we wanted to do a
'Welcome to College' party at UF because
seven students who attend the university

currently hold the scholarship," Arends
said.
Loretta Rodriguez, a junior scholarship
recipient, was chosen to help coordinate
the event.
"They asked if I would help out,
and I said I would pick up the posters,"
Rodriguez said. "That turned into getting
the shirts and driving to get the chicken,
fries and biscuits from the
On local KFC."
Campus Rodriguez said one of
the perks of the scholarship
is that each of the recipients
has a mentor who works for KFC Corp.
"I have grown very dose to mine over
the years," she said.
Andrew Cartas, a junior nuclear engi-
neering student, attended the event.
"Activities like this on campus really
bring light to the opportunities that are out
there for students," Cartas said.
"They allow us to learn about orga-
nizations that might not normally get
publicity."

LOCAL NEWS

Official hosts food drive

By KRISTEN WILKIE
Alligator Contributing Writer

N COUNTY COMMISSIONER HELD
EVENT TO PROTEST HUNGER.

More than 26,000 pounds of non-
perishable food items were collected
Tuesday as part of the Strike Out
Hunger Food Drive.
People were asked to bring food
items to Citizens. Field for the event
and to participate in a 12-hour hunger
strike.
"When people go on a hunger strike,
it's to protest something," said County
Commissioner Rodney Long, who
hosted the event.
"We did it in protest of the condi-
tions we have in Alachua regarding
hunger."
All of the food will be given to Bread
of the Mighty Food Bank, The Salvation
Army, Catholic Charities, Gainesville
Community Ministry and St. Francis
House.

Donations came from Wal-Mart,
private organizations and individuals
who stopped by throughout the day to
drop off cans, Long said.
The event was held to support the
City of Gainesville Alachua County
Hunger Summit on Thursday.
At the summit,
officials intend to
develop. a plan that
will deal with the
challenges and is-

N' the county's hunger
k* \ problem, Long said.
Long For example, he
said, registration for
food stamps is only available online,
but people who need them often don't
have a computer.
Others are often not willing to give
away personal information that would
make them eligible for assistance, Long
said.
"The plan's purpose is to remove
barriers that would allow us to provide
food to those persons in need," he said.

U T IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO EARN YOUR MBA
I according to the Princeton Review, which named The University
L of Tampa's John H. Sykes College of Business as one of the "Best
290 Business Schools in the World" for the second straight year. The college is
also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
(AACSB), the highest level of accreditation a business school can earn
internationally Admission to UT's MBA Program is the area's most selective too
- so you'll be among the best of the best. When you're ready to start your
degree, choose Tampa's Most Selective MBA.

a second-degree misdemeanor for
disturbing the peace.
Following his arrest, Meyer's
case was sent to the State Attorney's
office, where it was decided that he
would defer prosecution and accept
an 18-month probation term.
An October police report from
the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement revealed that the
University Police Department was
well within the guidelines for its
use of force.
Robert Griscti, Meyer's attor-
ney, said he read articles from all

over the world that reference this
incident not just all over the nation,
but also in countries such as Great
Britain and Tibet.
"I don't think anyone, including
the national press, foresaw how
enormous the storyline would be,"
Griscti said.
He said Meyer, who graduated
in spring, did what was asked of
him because he wanted to accept
responsibility for the situation.
"Andrew. Meyer crossed every
't' and dotted every 'i,' but he was
not given the credit he deserves."
Griscti said.
Meyer sent an apology letter in
late October for his actions at the
forum, saying he did not follow the

rules and "stepped out of line."
"I never wished to cast a nega-
tive light upon our fair University,"
Meyer wrote.
"I don't think anyone, in-
cluding the national press,
foresaw how enormous the
storyline would be."
Robert Griscti
Meyer's attorney

Steve Orlando, UF spokesman,
said soon after the incident, the
university received many calls and
complaints from all over the world.
The Committee on a Civil, Safe

and Open Environment was formed
after the incident in order for stu-
dents and faculty to voice their
opinions on UF's, Orlando said.
The committee, which met bi-
weekly for six months following the
arrest, released its final report to UF
President Bernie Machen in April.
UF's Board of Trustees amended
and passed a new policy earlier this
month regarding UF's policy on
disruption of university activity,
which includes freedom of speech
as long as the language used is not
obscene.
However, students mostly dis-
missed the actions taken by UF after
the incident, Orlando said. -
"Once the excitement was over,

people lost interest," he said. "But
the fact is, that's when people
should have participated."
Although Accent has not
changed much since the incident,
Chairman Andrew Guglielmo said
the organization is simply being
more cautious during'events.
Guglielmo said before the
speeches, the group reminds audi-
ences to treat speakers, as well as
other audience members, with
respect.
Despite all that happened,
Guglielmo has only kind words for
Meyer.
"I have no idea where Andrew
Meyer is, and I wish him the best in
what he's trying to do," he said.

About 600 students have signed proposal for hand-scanner referendum

SCANNERS, from page 1

sented to the Supreme Court of the Student
Body, which will determine if it meets require-
ments for language and constitutionality, said
Tara Rovolis, an SG secretary.

About 600 students signed the proposal to
get the referendum on the ballot. Proposals
need to be signed by at least 1 percent of the
student body.
Surrency said he questioned whether UF
should be spending the money on other things
during a budget crunch and whether the scan-
ners would be too invasive of a student's

privacy.
He also said the scanners are being intro-
duced with "little to no student
Student input."
Life He wants the referendum to
create a debate, he said.
David Bowles, director of Recreational
Sports at UF, said the scanners will allow stu-

dents to enter the gyms without a Gator 1 and
prevent non-students from using the gyms.
"The one thing that we've been hearing
from students for years is that they don't
wanna have to bring their Gator 1 card when
they come to work out," he said.
He said he thinks concerns about privacy
are "pretty ridiculous."

Why do you need the University of Florida-sponsored
student health insurance plan?
*The cost of one accident or illness could cause you to
drop out of school unless you have health insurance.
*You may have aged off your parents' plan at 18 or 23
years old.
*Your parents' or spouse's plan may not cover you when you
are traveling abroad, away from home or on vacation.
Aetna Student Health is the new University of Florida-sponsored
student health insurance plan and provides you with the following:
* Access to a nationwide network of health professionals
* Secure website with all your member information and questions
* Increased pharmacy benefits
* Health and wellness resources and discounts
Enroll today at www.aetnastudenthealth.com. Click on "Students",
then "Find your School", enter University of Florida, and select
"Insurance Enrollment". To contact the local servicing agent for
more information, call Scarborough Company Insurance in
Gainesville at 352-377-2002. Deadline is September 26h, 2008.
This is for informaional purposes onlyandis neitheran offer of coverage nor medical
advice. Health benefits and health insurance plans contain exclusion and limitations.

SrA etna
The Fund~!atinfr The Cator Nation Stu~rkat~nh Crr Ceare

WV5i CANCER
PROJECT ,

Finally!
A prescription with ''-
side effectsyou want.

Blueberries and red
beans are powerful
remedies against
cancer. Research
shows that fruits,
vegetables, and other low-
fat vegetarian foods may
help prevent cancer and
improve survival rates. A
plant-based diet can also
lower cholesterol.

A retraction message was later issued
assuring members that "by no means, are
we trying to promote any political party in
terms of giving us funding."
Student Body Treasurer Paul Drayton
said political affiliations do not affect how
much money an organization receives
from SG, and messages like this are not
encouraged.
"That is not OK," Drayton said. "I

would actually consider that unethical,
too."
Drayton said such actions are frowned
upon but not technically illegal. Sam
Miorelli, Orange and Blue Party president,
disagrees.
"We don't believe that membership in
a student organization should be tied to
a certain student political party," Miorelli
said.
Sen. Courtney Stephenson, Black
Student Union president and Gator Party
member, said it was a "little saddening" to

see that an organization believes its mem-
bers need to register with a certain party.
"It kind of goes against everything SG
stands for," Stephenson said.
The decision to in-
Setudent terview with a political
Government party should be a per-
sonal one, he said.
"You have to choose the decision that
will make you happy," Stephenson said.
"If you go for it because someone told you
to, you'll end up hating it, and you'll end
up regretting it."

Gator Party President Luis Nobriga,
who is also president of the Hispanic
Student Association, said SG issues are left
out of HSA a non-partisan organization
- which has members from both parties.
"We promote both parties or no party at
all," he said.
A new party, the Student Party, also
began interviewing prospective candi-
dates Tuesday. By the end of the day, it
had selected 20 of its candidate roster. Five
students also registered to run as indepen-
dents.

Comrnmun t
0 l * p \

Advocates ,

Are you a UF or Santa Fe Student? Are you
interested in learning more about local

government, crime prevention, and
community service?

Yes...then apply to be a Community Advocate!

For more information and to apply online go to.
www.dso. ufl.edu/offcampu s/commurntyadvocates
Applicatirlns due Friday, September 19th.

Co-Sponsored by'

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1. ANIMAL KINGl UMC!IL% What isa
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2. HISTORY: Which planet did
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3. ENTERTAINERS: What was Ste-
vie Wonder's birth name?
4. GAMES: What is a "dead man's
hand" in poker?
5. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: Who
once said, "There is a time in every
man's education when he arrives at the
conviction that envy is ignorance; that
imitation is suicide"?
6. COMICS: What is the emblem on
Wonder Woman's tiara?
7. ADVERTISEMENTS: Which
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8. TELEVISION: What was the.
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SCOOTER SERVICE
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This newspaper assumes no responsibil-
ity for injury or loss arising from contacts
made through advertising. We suggest that
any reader who responds to advertising use
caution.and investigate the sincerity of the
advertiser before giving out personal infor-
mation or arranging meetings

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Attention smokers! If you are a regular
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Zelosport, parent company of theational
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Leave information at spuda@zelosport.com
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* e

r

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16, ALLIGATOR U WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 200&

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Harrison Diamond / Alligator Staff
UF safety Major Wright runs after an interception to score a touchdown in
the second quarter of the Gators' 56-10 win against Hawaii on Aug. 30.

* THE GATORS' SAFETIES HAVE DEVELOPED A
REPUTATION FOR HARD-HITTING.

By MIKE McCALL
Alligator Staff Writer
mmccall@alligator.org

It's still up for debate whether UF's secondary has im-
proved to become a reliable unit, but one thing is certain:
Wandering near the Gators' safeties poses an imminent
health risk.
Strong safetyAhmad Black and free safety Major Wright
have yet to be tested by Southeastern Conference competi-
tion this season a fact that tempers the optimism from
the pair's solid performances against Hawaii and Miami
- but no one doubts their ability to lay out opposing run-
ning backs or level wide receivers.
Wright was known for his bone-jarring hits even before
he came to Gainesville, and he furthered that reputation
withbig plays last season, kicked off by anear-decapitation
of UF running back Chris Rainey in the preseason.
But Black, despite a 5-foot-9, sub-190-pound frame that
makes him UF's smallest safety, has also given teammates
cause to think twice before going his way in practice.
"He brings that aspect to the defense where no matter
how big or small you are, you can still be as powerful as
a 6-4, 300-pound dude," linebacker Brandon Hicks said.
"People don't realize it, but if you go to practice and watch
someone come across the middle and Black is coming, he's
going to let 'em know he's there. He's going to really put.
his mark down."
Hicks said Black is one of the best tacklers on the team,
mostly due to what he calls "almost perfect form" on every
tackle. Black has dearly made a big impression on coaches
as well, and hell have more responsibility to stop a tal-
ented rushing attack when the No. 4 Gators (2-0) travel to
Tennessee this weekend.
He'll also have to deal with the Vols' tight end, Brandon
Warren, a 6-foot-i, 225-pound transfer from Florida State.

SEE SAFETIES, PAGE 18

By EVAN DREXLER
Alligator Staff Writer
edrexler@alligator.org

UF's defensive tackles were widely thought
to be the Gators' weakest position heading
into the season, and coach Urban Meyer said
he is still not happy with their progress.
"We're getting a little more excited about
them," Meyer said. "But 'pleased' is when you
start saying we've arrived. And the standard
was set a couple years ago. ... And we're not
at that level."
Meyer acknowledged some of his players
are getting better, and he is encouraged by
their improvement.
Defensive line coach Dan McCarey said
he felt most comfortable with sophomore
Terron Sanders and freshman Matt Patchan as
his top two guys.
The defensive tackles will have their work

cut out for them against Tennessee, as they are
charged with stopping running back Arian
Foster all day. Foster had 100 yards on only
12 carries against Alabama Birmingham last
weekend. -
"We're getting a little more excited
about them."
Urban Meyer
UF football coach

"It's one of the real keys," McCarney said.
"They're averaging 6 yards a carry. That's a
lot. ... I've seen a lot of great backs. I got into
Division I football as a player in'71, I've seen a
lot of great ones, and he's a great one."

INJURY UPDATES: A day after listing junior
linebacker Dustin Doe as "probable" for
UF's game against Tennessee this weekend,

Gators coach Urban Meyer said not much had
changed in Tuesday's practice.
Meyer said Doe did not participate in prac-
tice and should know more about his status
for the Tennessee game later in the week.
"Straight-ahead speed is not an issue (for
Doe)," Meyer said. "Its just lateral movement.
... 'Probable' is the right word."
Meyer also said backup quarterback
Cameron Newton sprained his ankle in
practice, but the small injury should not be a
problem against Tennessee.
Redshirt freshman defensive tackle John
Brown had hand surgery on Tuesday because
a broken bone was not healing correctly
McCamey said he would miss at least a few
weeks of practice, but Brown was not per-
forming well enough in practice to warrant
playing time even with a healthy hand.
"He wasn't even dose to the two-deep,"
McCarney said.

Volunteers

not as bad

as you think

Y ou shouldn't really like
UCLA.
You shouldn't be cozy-
ing up to Brigham Young, either.
After you watched UF toy
with Hawaii in week one, per-
haps you caught a glimpse of
Tennessee losing 27-24 to that
upstart UCLA team.
Then, for you scoreboard
watchers, you saw how BYU
made the Bruins look like a
Division-
II step-
ping
stone.
So
then, by
Brian Steele logical
conclu-
Steele-ing Bases onlu-
bsteele@alligator.org o u '
you d
have to
assume the Volunteers, who are
still unranked, would lose hand-
ily to the Cougars and would get
even more humbled this week-
end against the Gators.
There's a reason why Mom
and Dad told you never to as-
sume.
This Tennessee team has 39
reasons to be mad. Or maybe it's
59 reasons, depending on how
you look at it.
Either way, the Volunteers
have been letting a 59-20 embar-
rassment brood in their gut for
a year now. And that makes for
some very, ahem, upset football
players many whom are every
bit as talented as the ones the
Gators have.
UF should win this game and
probably will.
If you start discounting in-
tangibles, however, then you're
discounting what makes sports
so captivating.
Intangibles are what caused
UF to lose its bowl game to
Michigan in January.
The Gators' ran into a
Wolverines team who was play-
ing for its coach in his final game,
and UF didn't have the emotional
SEE BRIAN, PAGE 18

SBaseball: Brewers vs. Cubs
ESPN, 8 p.m.

*NCAA Football: Kansas State vs. Louisville
ESPN2, 8 p.m.

MLB
Red Sox 1
Rays 2

Astros
Marlins

- -~~~ T~ri-~dro 2

Today's question: Which safety has been more
impressive this season?

Tuesday's question: How many touchdowns
will Percy Harvin tally this season?
(see right for results)

"Tennessee has a very good tight end, so every time
he drops out of the box, Ahmad is responsible for him,"
coach Urban Meyer said. "He's going to be a big part of
this game. He's a great tackler, he's always in football
position and that's why we have confidence in him."
While Black focuses more on stopping the run,
Wright will have more ground to cover in defending
the passing game. His role will be somewhat similar to
what Reggie Nelson, now a starter with the Jacksonville
Jaguarsdid for the 2006 national champion Gators.
"Basically, I'm just covering the whole field, being
a free safety," Wright said. "I watch (Nelson's) films
like every other day. I just go watch what he used to do
and try to go out there and do my job to perfection like
him."
If Wright watches any tape from UF's last trip to
Knoxville, he should get a pretty good idea of what to
do. In that game, Nelson intercepted Volunteers quarter-
back Erik Ainge on the first and last plays of the game,
providing the bookends for the first of many impressive
wins en route to a national title.
Nelson's first pick was particularly memorable, as he
flew across the field and plucked Ainge's deep sideline
heave from the air with his back parallel to the ground.
Nelson patrolled the deep part of the field in the same
fashion throughout the season, allowing the rest of the
defense to concentrate on other areas.

Wright hopes to emulate that style, but Meyer isn't
ready to compare him to Nelson, whom he has called
"one of the best football players I have ever seen" and
said he would take with the top pick in the NFL Draft.
"You watch how you say Reggie Nelson
around here," Meyer said. "In two years, we
can evaluate that. Major is a sophomore that's played a
little better football than he played last year."
If there's one thing Wright rivals Nelson in right now,
it's hitting. "The Eraser" crushed plenty of opponents in
his career, and Wright is doing much the same, some-
times even to his own teammates.
"I got hit by Major Wright in practice
all the time," cornerback Joe Haden said.
"He doesn't try to. He just blows up the
Football receiver and I'll be in the way. He tried to
'hit Chris Rainey one time and he knocked
my helmet off because I got there a second before him.
I just laid out for a second, thinking, If he hits everyone
else like this, I don't know how they keep getting up."'
Black and Wright each returned interceptions for
touchdowns against Hawaii, but the Volunteers present
the greatest challenge so far.
The safeties' performances, along with Haden and
cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis, will finally show
whether the secondary is up to the task of a long SEC
struggle.
"This is a big test for us," Black said. "A lot of people
congratulate me on the past two wins we have, but this
is going to be the big test for us."

Entrepreneurship Expo
Gainesville will host its first ever Entrepreneurship Expo on
Wednesday, September 17,2008 at Santa Fe College's Center
for Innovation and Economic Development.

5:30-8:30 p.m.
Free to the Public
A special presentation at 6:30 p.m. will be presented by the Gainesville
Area Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Development Center on
starting and running a business during tough economic times.

A great opportunity for business owners and aspiring entreprenuers
to connect with the various resources available in the city to help them
develop their ideas and grow their businesses.

The Entreprenuership Expo is being presented by a coalition of community
partners:
*City of Gainesville
*University of Florida Chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)
*Center for Innovation and Economic Development at Santa Fe College
*Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
*Small Business Development Center
*SCORE
*East Gainesville Development Corporation
For more information, please contact Shaad Rehman at
352-334-5000 ext. 5356 or email rehmans@cityofgainesville.org
GAINf \ILLE

TAKE

DRUGS

AND YOU

COULD BE

HIGH THE

REST OF

YOUR LIFE.

BRIAN, from page 17

desire to stay with the Wolverines.
Georgia having a dance-off in UF's end zone last year after
its first score didn't give the Gators the ultimate confidence
either.
Last season, according to UF linebacker Brandon Spikes,
Tennessee "kind of gave up" and "quit playing."
Spikes said former Gator tight end and special teams player
Derek Baldry had a Volunteers player tell him he wasn't even
going to rush him at all on a UF extra point.
Sure, that helped last year. But not now.
"I know they are going to be pretty jacked up," Spikes said.
Considering Tennessee still has high-level talent, that's not
a good thought for the Gators. And now they have some fresh
bulletin-board material from Spikes as well.
The Gators have more talent; but they will also have more
than 90,000 people telling them to go stick their. ... OK, that's
too R-rated, sorry.
Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer doesn't have the motivational
tools he used to, but it won't be a hard sell this weekend.
Nobody is expecting them to win. In fact, most probably
think the Volunteers will have a moral victory if they lose by
single digits.
Pundits have even said Tennessee could easily start out the
season 2-4.
Yes, it looks like a fall from grace for the Volunteers. And,
yes, this is exactly the perfect place for an upset.

Call it confidence, swagger or
whatever you like.
But every time Lauren Bledsoe
steps onto the court, she's ready.
On a team full of underclass-
men, the sophomore isn't afraid
to show a little emotion.
"One of the things that we
love about Lauren is the en-
ergy she brings to the match," UF
coach Mary Wise said.
With every block, each kill
and even the occasional scream,
Bledsoe takes
her team to an-
other level of
intensity.
Volleyball Though she
is not listed as a
starter on most nights, about the
only place you won't find her is
on the bench.
Left, middle and right if
there is a hole to fill in the front
row, coaches know who to turn
to.
"Her versatility is invaluable
to our team," Wise said.
It's an all-around athleticism
that has been especially impor-
tant this season.
With senior middle blocker
Kelsey Bowers still struggling
with a lingering back injury and
junior Kristina Johnson seeing
limited action due to soreness
in her surgically-repaired knee,

Bledsoe has shouldered the load
in the middle for the young
Gators.
And, so far, her team hasn't
missed a beat.
In UF's 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25,
25-18) win at Colorado last week,
Bledsoe had the best game of her
short career.
She shut down the Buffaloes at
the net, leading the Gators with a
team-high seven blocks.
But Bledsoe did more than just
defend. She registered eight kills
on just nine swings to finish with
a career-best .899 hitting percent-
age.
"It's actually my favorite thing
to play," Bledsoe said. "I guess
middle just hits home with me."
When All-American Marcie
Hampton suffered a career-end--
ing Achilles tendon tear during
UF's regular-season finale against
Long Beach State last year, it was
Bledsoe who carried the Gators
to the win.
"When Marcie got hurt,
(Bledsoe) was the one who came
in with her jump serve and got us
to the next round," Wise said.
While it has been defense that
has helped the sophomore make
a name for herself, she makes
no secret about where her heart
lies.
"I love to kill the ball," she
said.
Although she is needed most
at the net right now, it may be her
blistering serve that will be the

biggest weapon for the Gators
down the road.
Wise insists that her team
cannot simply rely on its hitting
and must find new ways to score
points.
Having one of the hardest
servers in the country doesn't

seem like a bad place to start.
"During warm-ups, no one
wants to be on the other side of
the net when she's serving," Wise
said.
Though Wise gives her the
nod as the team's hardest server,
Bledsoe points out that fresh-

man outside hitter Colleen Ward
smacks the ball with nearly as
much aggression.
"In practice, we're always
partners," she said. Y'Ps fun
to compete with someone who
serves the ball just as tough, if
not tougher."

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With 16 of 30 players on the UF soccer
team in their first years of college, some of
the newcomers were bound to play early in
the season.
What was not apparent to coach Becky
Burleigh was how fast many of them would
become meaningful contributors.
"We knew it was a pretty talented class
coming in, but obviously you never know
how quickly they can make the transition to
college soccer," Burleigh said.
So far, so good.
The Gators' (4-1-1) leading scorer is
freshman Tahnai Annis, who has four goals
in six games along with two weekly honor
awards.
Freshman Sarah Chapman scored the
game-winning goal in UF's last .match
against Illinois and collected a freshman of
the week award as well.
Jazmyne Avant has become a staple on
defense, and Lindsay Thompson seems to be
a regular in the midfield.
Both are freshmen, and all four started
and made an impact in the last game.
Burleigh said the transition in speed of the
game from high school to college is "huge,"
and picking up the speed has been an impor-
tant factor for determining playing time.
"The quicker you make that transition, the
more you get to play," she said. "It's pretty
much that simple."
Defender Liz Ruberry can relate to the
younger players who are being forced to
contribute so early in their careers.
She started every match as a freshman in
2004 and led the team in total minutes.

"I was really lucky because I had some
great senior leaders," Ruberry said. "As a
senior, I hope that I can only set that example
for the freshmen."
Senior midfielder Ameera Abdullah knew
the team, having lost several players from
-last year, would have to rely on its freshmen
early on, but what she's most happy about is
their offensive production.
"You want them to contribute as far as
working hard on the field, but having them
score and having a freshman even be our
leading scorer is fantastic," Abdullah said.
"The quicker you make that transi-
tion, the more you get to play."
Becky Burleigh
UF soccer coach

When she sees freshmen putting the ball
in the net, it motivates her to raise her own
level of play.
"You never want to be shown up by a
freshman," she joked.
Abdullah has given advice to some of the
younger players on matters on and off the
field, but she just tries to encourage them, no
matter what the situation is.
For experienced players, there's usually
uncertainty whenever new players join the
team, and building trust and confidence in
them is important. \
But Abdullah doesn't have to be too
concerned with these players' inexperience
anymore.
"Obviously, sometimes you may feel a
little wary of relying on people with not that
much experience, but they've done a good
job of stepping into the situation," Abdullah
said.

Ni 39 thAe' / i i IeNrho

15% Discount. Must commit
to at least 5 of the 8 Kickoff
editions. Deadline for this
special offer is Wednesday,
October 8, 2008. No TGIF
discounts apply to these
dates.